Ore-concentrating machinery



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ORE GONGENTRATING MACHINERY. No. 450,063. w Patented Apr. '7, 1891.]

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No. 450,063. Patented Apr. 7; 1891.

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"G. M. FITCH. ORB. GONOENTRATING MACHINERY.

No. 450,063. Patented Apr.'7, 1891.

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0. M. FITCH. ORE GONGBNTRATING MACHINERY.

No. 450,063. Patented Apr. 7 1891.

I UNITED STATES PATENT Erica.

CALVIN M. FITCH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ORE-CONCENTRATING MACHINE RY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 450,063, dated April '7, 1891.

I Application filed December 26, 1890. Serial No. 375,301. (No model.)

from the lighter and worthless quartz or gangue, apparatus embodying its leading features being adapted to rapidly, economically, and thoroughly pcrform'the work of concentration and separation either with or without the employment of water with the pulverized ore to be manipulated.

In generalterms the machine embraces a single or multiple arrangement of suitably sustained and actuated trays or like receptacles provided with a grating or series of suitably-distanced plates (the latter being thepreferred form of device) within the tray, adapted through their peculiar operative arrangement to control the passage of and manipulate the material between the points of ore-supply and gangue-discharge in such manner that the heavy metalliferous constituents are separated from the gangue or worthless quartz and caused to settle and pass beneath the plates to a common discharging-point provided in the bottom in the direction from which they maybe drawn oii', while the worthless matter is caused to pass over the grating or plates to the point of discharge provided therefor.

The machine embraces other features of novelty and utility, all of which are hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents in longitudinal section a concentratingmachine embodying in longitudinal multiple form the series of plates and other features of my invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of said machine, mechanism for actuating the same being shown. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the apparatus, likewise showing means for oscillating or reciprocating the same. 4' is a transverse section of the machine, the proportions being somewhat changed, taken on the line Y Y of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional detail showing a modification of certain of the details of the ma chine shown in the said above-described views. Fig. 0 is a view in transverse section of another form of multiple machine embodyingthe features of my invention. Fig. 7 illustrates in top plan view a singletray provided with a grating or longitudinal and transverse plates E in contradistinction to a singleseries of plates shown in the otherviews. Fig. 8 illustrates in top plan detail a form of indicator which I desirably employ in conjunction with the rod of the valve shown, which controls the concentrates-outlet for registering-the operative position of the valve with relation to its seat. Fig. 9 is a detail in side elevation of the upper portion of the valve-rod and the bearing for the same, together with the indicator connected therewith, shown in Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a detail in transverse section of a single tray particularly intended to show a modified arrangement of the bottom of the ore-containing receptacle with reference to the concentrates outlet.

Referringbyletter to thedetails of construction shown in the several described views, A indicates the tray, the bottom a of which inclines downwardly, desirably from every direction, toward a common converging point, at or about which is located an outlet a (hereinafter referred to as inferior discharge) for the withdrawal of the concentrates, the said outlet being preferablyin the form of an in verted cone, and being provided with a valve B of corresponding form carried by a rod B, operatively sustained by a bracket or bar B extended athwart the upper portion of the tray. The said inferior discharge ordinarily forms the lower terminal of a receptacle A, depending from the lowest extremity of the bottom of the tray, the receptacle being integral of or fixed to the tray, and being adapted to primarily receive the mineral therefrom, and being operatively separated from the working area thereof by a screen or. perforated diaphragm a The sides of the tray Fig.

are curved upwardly and outwardly from the inclined bottom a, forming slop-boards a hereinafter more specifically referred to.

At one end the trayis provided with a hopper 0, through which the ore is supplied to the machine, the opposite end being provided with awaste-outlet, as D,hereinafter referred to as superior discharge.

. The interior of the tray is provided with a grating or series of plates E, formed of any suitable material, projected across the area thereof in the direction of its line of motion and extended downwardly in the direction of the bottom a to a common horizontal plane, as shown particularly in Fig. 1, or upon one or more longitudinal planes corresponding desirably with the plane, planes, or form of the said bottom, as shown sufficiently in Fig. 5, in every instance the plates being projected downwardly only for such distance as shall leave suitable space, for the purpose hereinafter particularly described, between their respective lower edges and the said bottom, the upper edges of said plates being preferably upon a common plane coincident with the plane of the superior discharge D. The said plates at or near their lateral extremities adjacent to the slop-boards a", increase in vertical proportion, so as to form (or are provided with) pulp-guides e, which, being fixed to the slop-boards, project upwardly toward the top thereof.

The hopper C is provided with an outlet 0, arranged to discharge the pulp intothe working area of the tray ordinarily below the plane described by the upper margins of the plates E. I

0 indicates a perforated water-supplying cylinder located within the hopper C and connectedby flexible tubing 0 with a source of supply, said cylinder being adapted by means of the perforations 0, formed in its circumference, to feed water to the pulp contained within the apparatus, as may be desired.

The valve-rod B, near its upper end, is pro vided with a screw-th read I), which works within a corresponding bearing 1), formed or carried by the transverse bar I3 the end of the rod carrying an operating hand-wheel B To the top of the bearing 1) is horizontally fixeda stationary disk B, preferably having a convexed perimeter and provided with digits, lines, or the like, substantiallyas shown, equispacing its circumference.

From the hand-wheel B is downwardly pro- ,iected a cylindrical stem o which carries a small loose wheel b having its periphery concaved, so as to work snugly upon the perimeter of the disk. The stem b being arranged to ,play freely through the center of said wheel b enables the wheel to traverse the circumference of the disk without being drawn from its operative contact with its perimeter as the stem moves upwardly or downwardly, consequent upon the hand-wheel being rotatively moved to regulate, through the withdrawal or forward motion of the screw Z),

theposition of the valve with relation to its seat, which is indicated by the position to which said wheel I) is brought with relation to said digits, lines, etc, provided on the disk. A set-screw b is shown in Fig. 9 to be employed in connection with the bearing b for fixing the valve-rod in position; but other means may be employed for such purposeas,

for example, a set-nut working upon the screw Z) above or below its bearing, as described.

The machine is shown to be sustained by rods F, connected by their lower ends with the apparatus and by their upper ends with overhead frame-work B, being capable of adjustment in the direction of their length, so as to enable the regulating of the plane upon which the apparatus shall work. The preferred means for effecting such adjustment are shown to consist of screw-threads f and nuts ff provided at the upper ends of the sustaining-rods.

- Means for giving motion to the machine are shown in Figs. 2 and 3, which illustrate a crank-disk G, fixed to a rotary shaft j, to

which motion is given through a pulley J by a belt I, the crank-disk being connected With the suspended machine by means of a pitman H.

In Figs. 5 and 10 the receptacle A and screen a are shown to be dispensed with, the mineral being thereby enabled to pass directly from thebottom of the tray to and through the inferior discharge a.

In Fig. 6 is illustrated a multiple machine in which the trays are connected laterally of each other. In this construction the plates E are shown to extend across the combined area, the pulp being allowed to pass from one tray or compartment to the other as the apparatus is given motion. In otherparticulars this form of apparatus is arranged and operated substantially similarly to a single tray, the lower ends of the sustaining-rods being connected with a frame-work P, which carries the apparatus.

In amultiple arrangement of the apparatus,

wherein the trays are connected in longitudinal series, as shown particularly in Figs. 1, 2, and 5, the gangue outlet orsuperior discharge is provided in some form at the terminal end of the last tray of the series, the partition between trays forming or being provided with means for permitting overflow of pulp from one tray to the next, the overflow being upon.

or about the plane of the upper margins of (See particularly hen water is used for concentrating the ore, the machine is adjusted so that itinclines downwardly in the direction of its length, say, from one-eighth inch to. one-half inch (more orless) per linealfoot betweenthe points of ore-supply and gangue-dlscharge, the inclination when the ore is treated in a dry state being, say, from one inch to three inches (more or less) per lineal foot.

The following description of a machine in multiple arrangement, as shown in Fig. 1, the ore being treated by the wet process, is deemed a sufficient exposition of the utility of the invention. The machine being set in motion, the pulp fed into the hopper is discharged through the opening 0 thereof into the first tray below the plane of the upper edges of the plates E, the rapid oscillation or reciprocation of the apparatus tending to keep the mass in a thoroughly mixed and softened condition and facilitatingthetendency of the heaviest particles or mineral to settle toward the bottom. The pulp gradually filling up the working area of the first tray is prevented from rapidly moving in the direction of the outlet 7. by the plates E, between and against which itworks, the heavy mineral so interrupted in its longitudinal passage being. shaken or moving by reason of its greater specific gravity toward the sloping bottom and following the same beneath the plates toward the inferior discharge a, the lighter and less rich pulp working upwardly toward the upper edges of the plates, over which it gradually passes in the direction of the overflow-outlet, its contained particles of mineral being in tercepted by subsequent plates before reach ing the outlet or passing with the gangue into the subsequent tray, within which the concentrating treatment is repeated, and so on until the superior discharge is reached. It isobvious that if any particles of mineral settle in the mass of pulp between the'plates for a distance however slight below the plane of their upper edges these particles must either rise toward the surface against the force of gravity or settle downwardly toward the main body of the minerals It may be further noted that the curved form given to the sides of the tray to form the slop-boards a permits free lateral movement of the material under treatment as the apparatus is oscillated or reciprocated, thereby avoiding the undue splashing or slopping which would be incident to the employment of perpendicular or angularly-inclined sides; also, that the pulp-guides e prevent the material which travels up the slop-boards from slopping over the plates E, except at the point (i. e., between said guides) intended for such purposes, the said guides likewise determining the length of the upper working-edges or faces of said plates, over which the-light pulp or gangue passes. The valve being adjusted so as to open the inferior discharge a, the concentrates fiow through said discharge while the machine 'is in motion in a steady and uniform stream, limited in its volume necessarily by the degree of opening orclosure of the discharge. The receptacle A and its auxiliary screen or perforated diaphragm being employed, the reciprocation of the machine causes the mineral forming the lowest stratum of the concentrates to continuously slide to and fro over the screen or diaphragm, the mineral being gradually sifted through its openings or perforations into the receptacle in such quantity as the discharge from the outlet a will admit. When by the adjustment of the valve the discharge of mineral from the outlet is of limited volume compared with the amount fed with the pulp into the tray, there will obviously be gathered in the deepest portion of the tray a bed of mineral, richest (because heaviest) at its lowest stratum, the discharge therefore being exclusively of rich mineral. Conversely when the discharge is of large volume comparamineral, and the concentrates will be of lower grade. 3y the adjustment of the valve to tively there will necessarily be agreater or less proportion of gangue drawn off with the control the discharge through the outlet maniably-sustained tray having a downwardly-inclined bottom, a concentrates-receiving receptacle depending from said bottom,provided with an outlet for the discharge of the concentrates, ascreen or perforated diaphragm separating the receptacle from the area of the tray through which the concentrates pass to said receptacle, a valve for controlling the discharge from the concentrates-outlet, and means for oscillating or reciprocating the tray, substantially as described. I

3. In ore-concentrating apparatus, a suitably-sustained tray having a grating or series of plates projected acrossits working area, extending downwardly in the direction of but separated from its bottom, arranged and adapted to allow thegravitating concentrates to pass intermediate of their lower margins and the bottom of the tray toward a common discharge and the gangue to pass over their upper portions to discharge, an outlet connected with said bottom for discharging the concentrates, and means for oscillating orv reciprocating the apparatus, substantially as described.

4,. In ore-concentrating apparatus, a suitably-sustained tray having within its working area a series of plates projected in the direction of its line of motion and extended downwardly in the direction of but separated from its bottom, arranged and adapted to allow the concentrates to pass beneath their lower margins toward a common discharge and the gangue to pass over their upper portions to discharge,pulp-guides at or about the extremities of said plates, an outlet for the discharge of the concentrates, and means for oscillating or reciprocating the tray, substantially as described.

5. A suitably-sustained ore-concentrating tray having a downwardly-inclined bottom and slop-boards extended upwardly therefrom, a discharge for the concentrates connected with the bottom thereof, a series of plates projected across its working area in the direction of its line of motion and extended downwardly in the direction of but separated from said bottom, arranged and adapted to allow the concentrates to pass beneath their lower margins toward a common discharge and the gangue to pass over their upper portions to discharge, pulp-guides at the extremities of said plates operatively connected with the slop-boards, and means for oscillating or reciprocating the tray, substantially as described.

6. A suitably-sustained concentrating-tray having a downwardlyinclined bottom, an outlet connected with said bottom for discharging the concentrates, a series of plates projected across the working area of the tray in the direction of its line of motion, extended downwardly in the direction of but separated from its bottom, arranged and adapted to allow the concentrates to pass beneath their lower margins toward a common discharge and the gangue to pass over their upper portions to discharge, means for feeding pulp to the tray from one end thereof, a gangue-outlet, and means for oscillating or reciprocating the tray, substantially as described,

I '7. In ore-concentrating apparatus, a series of suitably sustained laterally connected trays having downwardly-inclined bottoms and arranged to admit of the lateral overflow or passage of the pulp from tray to tray, a discharge for the concentrates connected with the bottom of each tray, aseries of plates proj ecting across the entire area of said trays in the direction of the line of motion of the apparatus and extending downwardly in the direction of but separated from the bottoms thereof, slop-boards forming the outer sides of said combined trays, pulp-guides at the extremities of said plates connected with said slop-boards, and means for imparting oscillating or reciprocating motion to the apparatus, substantiallyas described.

8. In ore-concentrating apparatus, a series of longitudinally connected trays having downwardly-inclined bottoms, an outlet for the concentrates connected with the bottom of each tray, a series of plates projected across the area of each tray in the direction of the line of motion of the apparatus, extended downwardly in the direction of but separated from the bottoms thereof, an outlet for permitting the overflow of pulp from tray to tray for retreatment, means for feeding pulp to the apparatus at one end thereof, a wasteoutlet, suitable devices forsustaining the apparatus, and means for oscillating or recipro-' eating, the apparatus, substantially as described.

0. In ore-concentrating apparatus, a series of suitably sustained longitudinally connected trays provided with inclined bottoms and slop-boards extending upwardly therefrom, a receptacle connected with the bottom of each tray, provided with an outlet for the discharge of the concentrates, a screen or perforated diaphragm separating the receptacle from the working area of the tray, a valve connected with each of the said outlets operative to control the discharge therefrom of the concentrates, a series of plates projected across the working area of each tray in the direction of its line of motion, extended downwardly in the direction of but separated from the bottom thereof, pulp-guides provided at the extremities of the plates, an outlet for the overflow of pulp from tray to tray for retreatment, means at one end of the series for feeding pulp thereto, a waste-outlet, and means for oscillating or reciprocating the apparatus, substantially as described.

10. The combination, with the concentratesoutlet, the outlet-controlling valve, its screwthreaded rod orstem, the hand-wheel attached CALVIN M. FITCH.

W itnesses:

GEO. W. LE V IN, TALTER M. FITCH. 

